Chapter 2

Back with the cleanup crew, everyone was working in perfect order, searching for hidden Shadow Sect members, hunting down cells where Alliance of Light captives were held, and dismantling the traps the enemies had set.

I was flustered and clueless, not sure what I was supposed to do, and before long, they shooed me away.

In the end, I was left wandering aimlessly around the now-empty back mountain, with nothing to do.

After all, I was the most useless one in the Stormblade Sect. My magic power was mediocre, my swordplay all over the place, and I couldn't even fly properly.

All they needed from me was to stay out of the way.

The Shadow Sect's mountain was huge, with pavilions and halls sprawled across the slopes, winding caves linking everything together. Battle scars were everywhere, bodies lying around, blood painting the ground.

I couldn't help but sigh. Even the Shadow Sect, once at its peak, had ended up as nothing but dust in the annals of the Magical World. It was a pity I never caught a glimpse of the Grandmaster himself.

I remembered the Grand Conclave half a year ago. The Shadow Sect wreaked havoc in Northwold, slaughtering their way to seize control of the trade routes. The government and the Alliance of Light banded together, trying to figure out how to regain control of Northwold.

That day, all the major sects gathered at Cloudspire Summit. I was sulking off to the side, watching as my father smiled and introduced Lucas and Sophia, his prized disciples, to the other Grandmasters.

Then, Orion, Grandmaster of the Shadow Sect, arrived.

No one noticed him at first. He just appeared out of nowhere, perched on the corner of the rooftop.

He was dressed in black, his hair tied up high, the wind whipping his robes so they fluttered loudly. A silver half-mask covered his eyes and brows, leaving only his nose and lips exposed.

The mask had an icy gleam, highlighting his jawline, sharp as a blade. His thin lips curled into a faint smile, as if he was quietly amused by everyone below.

Even with only half his face visible, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

The whole place went dead silent.

He spoke in a low, elegant tone, smooth and alluring, but it sent chills through the crowd. "Eight major sects, hundreds of people, all here to split up my assets, and nobody thought to call me over?"

The Grandmaster of the Spirit Blade Guild slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. "Orion Ashford, Shadow Sect has committed countless atrocities, murdering left and right..."

"Atrocities?" Orion laughed, his eyes shining like stars. "Everyone the Shadow Sect kills is nothing but the scum of the world. We only kill crooked officials and corrupt bureaucrats."

He descended lightly, his boots landing on the stone floor with a sharp click. The people in the front row instinctively stepped back.

He tilted his head, the silver mask catching the sunlight with a cold glint. "When the Shadow Sect was opening up new lands and building roads in Northwold, where were you? When we wiped out all the parasites and deadweights in Northwold, where were you?

"Oh, right. You were busy pretending to be saints."

No one dared to respond.

He stood before everyone, his hair whipping in the wind, robes swirling around him. He was like an unsheathed blade, so sharp that nobody dared get close.

"That's all I have to say," he said, turning to leave.

As he reached the edge, he suddenly paused and glanced back. That faint smile still curled beneath the silver mask. "Oh, and one more thing. Whoever tries to take our territory in Northwold, I'll chop their hands off."

He strode away, black robes billowing, long hair streaming behind him. Even as the Grandmasters tried to stop him, not a single one could touch him.

As I stood off to the side, listening to the furious uproar around me, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.

That was half a year ago, before the Shadow Sect was wiped out.

Back then, Orion didn't know me yet.

A few months later, the Stormblade Sect received a confidential message.

An undercover spy in the Shadow Sect sent word that Orion's Reversion Phase was around the corner.

Orion practiced the Celestial Arts, and every time he broke through to a new stage, he'd hit a Reversion Phase, a stretch of weakness. Rumor had it, this was the only flaw in the long-lost Celestial Arts.

That day was the Shadow Sect's deepest secret and their most vulnerable time.

The Alliance of Light picked that exact moment to storm the mountain. It was no accident.

My father, the Lightwarden, would never stoop to something like that. He might not have liked me much, but he was always righteous and aboveboard. He'd never done anything underhanded in his life.

Whether it was the elders or some of my fellow disciples who came up with the plan, I had no idea. And honestly, I didn't care to know.

Lost in thought, I found myself at the edge of a cliff. A gentle breeze swept by, clearing my mind and lifting my spirits. I stepped forward, wanting the wind to carry away the shadows hanging over me.

But unexpectedly, I triggered a trap with my foot. In an instant, my sword and I plunged straight into a secret chamber.

For a split second, panic shot through me, but I managed to calm down and surveyed the silent chamber.

The room was small, its walls set with a few glowing pearls that filled the space with a cool, ethereal light.

A stone platform stood in the very center. It was covered with a black blanket. And there was a man lying on it.

I crept closer, every sense on high alert. Then, suddenly, my mind went blank.